In the United States, November 11^th is the national holiday when we recognize our fellow citizens who have served their country in the military.  Veterans Day, unlike Memorial Day, is meant to appreciate the sacrifices of the millions of living veterans who raised their right hand and pledged to defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.  

This year Veterans Day has more meaning for me than usual.  With the active and brutal battlefields in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, I am acutely aware and distressed at the heavy price that is being paid by both military personnel and civilians during wars.  

As a U.S. Army Veteran from the Gulf War, it my honor to serve as the Commander of Ahwatukee American Legion Post 64 which is focused on helping veterans and their families in our local community. 

Now more than ever, we need to strengthen the social fabric of our society and in our neighborhoods and, in my opinion, this is best done by connecting and bonding with people in person with a sense of common purpose.  One of the things I miss most about my time in the military is the camaraderie and sense of shared values with fellow service members.  When in a foxhole together at the morning stand to during my deployment in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, it didn’t matter what color your skin was or what your religious beliefs were.  The only thing that mattered was that you were an American and believed in freedom, liberty, and our country’s Constitution.  

As part of our Post’s Veterans Helping Veterans initiative, we are conducting Buddy Checks, where American Legion members are actively calling members to check in and see how they are doing. We are letting veterans know that we miss them and are thinking about their health and wellbeing. This focus is in support of the American Legion’s “Be the One” program, a suicide prevention effort which is addressing the growing health concern among those who served and are suffering with PTSD, TBI, or other debilitating issues.

American Legion Post 64 is Ahwatukee’s sole Veteran’s Service Organization and we meet monthly (3^rd Wednesdays at 4PM) at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center (ARC).  This November 11^th you can visit with veterans from Post 64 at our table at the 19^th Annual Ahwatukee Car Show on 4700 E. Warner Rd.  

Please visit our website at www.americanlegionpost64.com for more information on the many events and social activities we are hosting in the local area.

Happy Veterans Day!